Despite Asheville’s compact size, its neighborhoods are as distinct and varied as can be — from downtown’s eclectic, urban vibe to West Asheville’s reinvented charm. And naturally, those areas’ neighborhood favorites also run the gamut: Downtown Limones offers classic Mexican dishes with a modern twist, plus a not-to-miss brunch. Primarily set up as a bar, […]

Let’s face it: A substandard (or merely ordinary) cup of coffee or tea just isn’t going to cut it in Western North Carolina. Infusion-savvy residents know where to find pu-er tea from Yunnan, “Dereje” heirloom coffee from Ethiopia, a pour-over iced coffee from Sumatra, and the best coffee- or teahouse for hunkering down with a […]

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority trademarked the term Foodtopia, and for good reason. Asheville, the farm-to-table-friendly county seat, hosts a pantheon of award-winning chefs and their renowned restaurants. The James Beard Awards are the Oscars of the food world, and several Asheville chefs, including Katie Button and John Fleer, keep making the grade. Button […]

With his long-awaited barbecue joint, Buxton Hall, on the horizon, chef Elliott Moss marked the final night of his pop-up restaurant, The Thunderbird, with a mash-up of the two concepts that have sustained his wait for his own kitchen. On May 24, Thunder Wok Punk Bird delivered creative combinations of the Asian cuisine Moss had previously offered and the Southern cooking he loves.

ALL WEEK Beer Cocktails at Top of the Monk Top of the Monk, downtown Top of the Monk will have a special menu of beer-infused cocktails designed for both beer and cocktail lovers alike. FRIDAY, MAY 27 Sanctuary Shakeup 12-11 p.m., Sanctuary Brewing Co., 147 First Ave. E., Hendersonville Sanctuary Brewing Co. is releasing 10 […]

What we often cull, throw away or compost can be the building blocks for new recipes, offering an infusion of flavor to many meals to come. And something deeper happens when we repurpose our scraps: a change of perspective.

Just as Duke Ellington needed a band of skilled, talented musicians, good chefs need good support players. And Asheville’s three nominees for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef Southeast tip their hats to several folks whose names you might not know.

A recent preview dinner offered a taste of new menu items from the Grand Bohemian Hotel’s executive chef, Scott Ostrander. “This is about giving everybody an idea of what the Red Stag Grill is going to be about from the spring on into the summer,” Ostrander says.

When the Smoky Park Supper Club opens this summer, it will be the nation’s biggest eatery made out of those recycled containers, but it will also boast something equally curious: an almost entirely wood-fired kitchen.

The floods of 2004 brought 8 feet of water into the building — previously a bar built in 1948 — sealing its fate after already being shuttered for five years. Slowly, the space hobbled back into the world of commerce as a small produce stand, but it’s now being primed to return to its former glory as a social hub, family gathering place and food spot.

The 2015 Asheville Wine and Food Festival kicked off Friday evening with a new event: Amuse. The small-plate and craft cocktail tasting served as the preliminary round of competition for the annual mixology and culinary showdown and allowed guests to sample creative fare from five Asheville chefs and six local bartenders. Story by Gina Smith

Each spring, the Asheville Bread Bakers Festival brings together local bread artisans to network and learn about their craft, while offering bread enthusiasts an opportunity to admire and sample a their work. Here, four Asheville bakers talk about their passion for the art of baking bread.

The WNC Cheese Trail held its first Carolina Mountain Cheese Fest celebrating the region’s artisan cheese industry on April 26 at Highland Brewing Co. If you missed out on the cheesy fun, click through for a photo slideshow of the event.

For seven years, Kamala was an indentured servant, “rented” out by her parents for $50 a year. Today, she’s the Himalayan nation’s first female motorcycle mechanic, earning $50 a day. Kamala owes her freedom and improved prospects to Dining for Women, a global, nonprofit “giving circle.” The organization will be celebrated at A Sunset Soiree, a dinner fundraiser on Saturday, April 25.

An upcoming foodie fair hosted by restaurant supplier FRS Inc. of Asheville is part trade show and part showdown. Now in its third year, the Mountain Area Restaurant Show is a free daylong fair with more than 100 commercial kitchen equipment and supply manufacturers on-site, culminating with the Whacked! cooking challenge.